Wiring HH configuration

[bagman67]

Okay, so I have a pair of Carvin S22 pickups I'm planning to install in my Velocity bod that's configured for a blade switch and 3 pots (i.e., basic Strat controls).


Obviously the easiest way to go is a 3-way blade switch yielding B - BN - N possibilities.  But it's 2020 and I have options! 


Firstly, is the consensus that master vol with two tone pots is more useful, or 2 volumes, one tone?


I have sufficient leads off the pickup to wire full humbucking or single coil, and Carvin's own installs usually include a push-pull switch to alternate between the two.    Anyone got any useful ideas for how to use a five-way blade switch or superswitch/EP1112 to do interesting things here, like maybe:


1.  Bridge only, full HB
2. Bridge single, neck single, parallel
3.  Bridge and neck full HB
4.  Bridge single, neck single, series
5.  Neck only, full HB


Or something like that?  Obviously the order is not important, just the functionality.


If it helps, I have learned that the wire colors are as follows:
Hot:  Red
Center tap:  White & Green
Ground:  Black, shield

 

[Rick]

I know this is an old saw but check out the freeway switch

 

[Logrinn]

I would choose 2 volume pots. I find it nice to go from full volume to a substantially lower volume by just flicking the switch from bridge to neck (or vice versa) instead of trying to lower a single volume pot to find that right spot.

Here’s Freeway’s wiring diagram with two different options for a HH guitar
https://sef545d194250e953.jimcontent.com/download/version/1532631354/module/8112261415/name/3B3-01%202PU%202Pot%20Part1.pdf

 

[Rick]

This gets you everything you want plus extra.  I love the in series out of phase setting.  I have a better copy if you want me to email it to you.

 

[drewfx]

I typically would wire it as a 5-way blend switch, just by putting, say, a 33k resistor in series with the opposing PU in positions 2 and 4. You might need to adjust the resistor depending on the output, but I think 33k is about right for HB PU's.

 

[bagman67]

I typically would wire it as a 5-way blend switch, just by putting, say, a 33k resistor in series with the opposing PU in positions 2 and 4. You might need to adjust the resistor depending on the output, but I think 33k is about right for HB PU's.

So... correct me if I'm misunderstanding.  Would you have full strength neck AND bridge in the center position, and full neck and partial bridge signal at the 4 position, and full bridge and partial neck at the 2 position?  (assuming 1 = bridge only, 5 = neck only)

 

[drewfx]

I typically would wire it as a 5-way blend switch, just by putting, say, a 33k resistor in series with the opposing PU in positions 2 and 4. You might need to adjust the resistor depending on the output, but I think 33k is about right for HB PU's.

So... correct me if I'm misunderstanding.  Would you have full strength neck AND bridge in the center position, and full neck and partial bridge signal at the 4 position, and full bridge and partial neck at the 2 position?  (assuming 1 = bridge only, 5 = neck only)

Exactly.

 

[fdesalvo]

Hard to go wrong with the dimarzio hh scheme 

 

[rauchman]

If it helps, I just did this in my build. 

Controls...

Pot 1 (closest to bridge ) = Bridge Vol / Pull up to split to single coil - In the wiring diagram, coming off the "1", I'm using a 6.8k resistor to boost the output of the SC sound a bit, which then goes to ground

Pot 2 = Ton / Pull up to switch from .047 to .022 tone cap (I may try something else here, as there's not much of a tonal difference when the tone is on 10) - Not seen in the wiring diagram, coming off of the "4", I'm using a .047 cap, and grounding it, coming off the "3", I'm using a .022 cap and grounding it

Pot 3 = Neck Vol / pull to split to single coil- In the wiring diagram, coming off the "1", I'm using a 6.8k resistor to boost the output of the SC sound a bit, which goes to ground

5 way switch (using 2 pole Super Switch, or half Super Switch)
1 - Bridge (hb or sc)
2 - Bridge / Middle (can use bridge hb or sc), also if I dump the Bridge vol, i get pure middle pup tone, however there is no volume control for the middle
3 - Bridge / Neck (This seems to be the magic zone.  Can get 4 different parallel tones here)
    Bridge HB / Neck HB
    Bridge SC / Neck HB
    Bridge HB / Neck SC
    Bridge SC / Neck SC (does a really nice version of the Tele in between sound)
4 - Mid / Neck (can use neck hb or sc), if I dump the Neck vol, i get pure middle pup tone, however there is no volume control for the middle
5 - Neck (hb or sc)

Some links....

https://seymourduncan.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036121173-Guitar-Wiring-Explored-Introducing-the-Super-Switch-Part-1

https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/2h1virtualv5w2v1t_0.pdf

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/09/01/6-powerful-ways-to-wire-up-a-tone-pot/

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/04/19/5-push-pull-pot-mods-you-should-know/

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/10/17/using-resistors-in-guitars-101/

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/01/02/coil-splitting-work/